The first transfer deal of the summer (!) has been done, as we prepare for sticky toffee.

By Tony Attwood

Next up Everton

These days Arsenal ask readers of their web site to vote for their man of the match, and after the Norwich game they gave the honour to Aaron Ramsey. Which is quite amazing when you think how he was seen by the AAA just a few months ago.

It is obvious that when fit, Ramsey plays and that he has (like Theo) turned into a fantastic buy as a young player. You can check odds for betting online on him or on Arsenal over at Unibet.

Also in the “he plays when fit) scheme of things is Arteta – so that is two players definitely in for the Everton game. Only nine to go.

Tomas Rosicky was apparently not going to play against Norwich even if he had been fit, but if he is fit again he could be. There could also be changes as Per Mertesacker is available again – only one match out for him as it wasn’t dangerous play. So that would presumably mean Vermaelen would sit the game out.

As for Podolksi Mr Wenger said, “I work a lot with him as a central striker at the moment. He is a quality player and when he comes on you can see that straight away. You don’t get 100 caps by luck. Honestly he has a great attitude. He never moans, he never has a bad phase, he is always positive.”

Theo made such an impact you would expect him to play from the start, and Monreal has looked extremely good – maybe Gibbs will get a break and Monreal come back in.

Where Mr Wenger was critical it was over Giroud. “I think he had a very, very average first half and a very, very positive and influential second half. He was much more in the game in the second half. He looked in the first half like he was not on the move when he got the ball. In the second half he was much more mobile and that made a difference.”

with everyone interchanging between their three positions. Elsewhere the team much as before, save that Monreal starts. My guess is for Mertersacker to be on the bench.

So the basic factoids are

We are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League games against Everton and have only ever lost once against them at home in the Premier League. We have also won our last four Premier League matches while Everton have won four of their last five. But they ain’t won any of their last four away Premier League games.

The last time we lost to them was a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park in March 2007.

Wayne Rooney (aged 3) scored his first goal in the league against us, when he came on as a sub and gave us our first away defeat in 212 years. Seaman was in goal. I was there. It was a shock.

We have so far scored 82 goals against Everton in the Premier League era, and only Man Un have scored more Premier League goals overall than we have this season. Which is interesting since they have RVP and we don’t.

The League Desktop – note in passing that not only are we a point above the neighbours, we also have a goal difference that is 14 better than they. Actually our goal difference is only one worse than Manchester C.

POS

LP

CLUB

P

W

D

L

GF

GA

GD

PTS

1

(1)

Manchester Untidy

32

26

2

4

73

33

40

80

2

(2)

Manchester Arabia

31

19

8

4

57

27

30

65

3

(3)

Arsenal

32

17

8

7

64

35

29

59

4

(4)

Chelski

31

17

7

7

61

33

28

58

5

(5)

The Tiny Totts

32

17

7

8

55

40

15

58

6

(6)

Everton

32

14

13

5

51

37

14

55

7

(7)

Liverpool

33

13

11

9

59

40

19

50

First transfer deal done

Central defender/right back Martin Angha (age 19) has signed a pre-contract agreement with FC Nuremberg. He has played in the NextGen series, the under 21s, and in the League Cup side and came on as a sub in the 2-1 defeat Champions League defeat at Olympiacos.

According to Arsenal.com he has also played for Switzerland at under-16, under-17 and under-19 level.

David Moyes has stated that his Everton team need to win at the Emirates if they are going to have any real aspirations of playing CL football next season.

Both teams are in decent form and this promises to be a decent contest.

Arsene Wenger has once again timed his teams assault for a top four spot to near perfection and whilst Arsenal’s excellent run of form has to come to an end sooner or later I believe our strength from the bench will again prove crucial in the later stages against Everton.

Bobber – as if I would! Actually this one wasn’t written in this way – the easiest way to get lots of clicks is to mention another club’s name – then the site gets listed on Arsenal and whichever other club we choose. I always fancied doing “Manchester United deny interest in Arsenal defender”. Don’t have to write an article then.

@Matt,
When a site has so many negative comments by so many sad people, it’s the duty of all loyal fans to counteract in any way possible. My Gran (who cleans at the Emirates) calls it “the clutching of straws”… so don’t knock it, pal.

Interesting Webb has been castigated for his mistakes in the Newcastle game rather than his performance when we played at west brom. Must admit, I always thought Webb was bullet proof for services rendered to you know who.
Really hope we have a strong ref against Everton, and not one influenced by the sub moronic motd pundits after the Norwich game.

Can UTD win it at the Ems? Maybe the refs ain’t been as bad to us recentky cos they saving it up so that manure will waltz in and get a pen at 85min?
Matt: we got raped last few seasons for our best players. So we have rebuilt team and are starting to gel once again, we are happy and excited that it won’t be an off season of more thieving of our best players, at least I hope not!

I really feel for Rosicky, he is probably our best midfielder when on top form and this Spring yet again he is carrying Arsenal across the top 4 finishing line. Yet he is so easily dismissed in favour of our semi-god Jack. There is the hype around Jack at its worst and noboby seem to want to know that the gay, as good as he is, is still young and has a lot to learn from players like Cazorla and indeed Rosicky who is a class act. If you look really close and unbiased, Rosicky offers more than Jack at the moment. Better, more aggressive passer in the final third, a bigger goal threat, faster, creative, able to change pace and dicrate the rhythm of the game. Tomas should be played whenever he is fit and ready.

The key with Everton is to neutralise their attacking full-backs, especially Baines. If Theo plays he needs to get into the game quickly and keep Baines busy in his own half. Our wide players need to also track back when needed, something we don’t always see from them.

I hope that we can start on the front foot and play with some pace that we didn’t see against Norwich until the last quarter of the game.

As well as Walcott I felt that Ox had an impact on Saturday and he might also have a key role at some stage.

We need to to put in the winning team first and then the rest can follow.Manure will get 3 penalties in their remaining matches as the devil might die if he loses this one this time around.As of the sewer rats ,they will look for anything under the sun to criticize Arsene and the boys. But we the sewer rats as they play apart in cleaning where we can not clean. Lose today and the world will fall apart,win today and they will moan for anything. Lets keep the spirit up the struggle continues. Lets go gunners.

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